Out of the Ashes
by thenight613
Summary: After being killed by androids 17 and 18, Gohan finds himself in the past before the Androids ever attacked. Can he change the world for the better? Or is it doomed to the hell he left it in?
1. Awakening

Here's the first chapter. Those of you who read the original story Second Chance will notice that not much actually changed. Just a little more meat to it is all. Some chapters will require more than this so don't expect updates every few days. I'm going to try for every two weeks for posting new chapters but the rewrites for the first 8 should come a bit swifter. I hope newcomers and old followers like what I've done so far and look forward to seeing how you like where it goes. Reviews go a long way in keeping me motivated so review when you can. Also if you feel I should up the rating at any time please let me know.

 **Awakening**

Gohan gagged as he coughed up blood. He knew he wasn't much of challenge for the androids with one arm, hell he was barely a challenge with two. The rubble stabbed into his back as he laid waiting for the androids final attack on him and as the ki blasts lit up their hands he thought back on his life. From an early age he was forced into life as a warrior, and now it would take his life. He thought back to all the family and friends he had lost. His dad was the lucky one. He had died before the androids, before the world was damned. His sensei had died at the first attack from the androids along with all the other human Z fighters. Only he and Vegeta had made it along with Bulma and his mother. ChiChi. She had died when the androids came to their house looking to see what fun the country could offer that the city couldn't. Gohan had barely made it out alive. He was 12 when Vegeta died and it was his body that had triggered the transformation for him. He had come to see prideful Prince of Saiyans as a father figure, his only tie to his heritage.

Then there was Trunks. Vegeta and Bulma's son, Gohan's apprentice, who now was the last hope for the earth. Gohan stared at the ki blasts coming down on him. So this was it. The end was finally here. He thought of his wife who he would see again in the afterlife, and with that he smiled. He shouted her name as the blasts rained down on him; his last defiance against the androids.

* * *

Gohan opened his eyes slowly, blinded by the light coming through a window. He sat up and looked around. He was in his old room in the mountains. 'What the hell?' Gohan thought. He then got up and looked around the room. Clothes and school books littered the floor and a desk straining with pressure of so many books atop it. 'This cannot be real.' was the mantra going through his mind. With another spin around the room he found something that stopped him stone cold. There before him was a mirror and in that mirror stood a small boy no older than six. Gohan slowly brought up a hand to his face and saw the mirror reflecting his motions. 'How is this real?' he asked himself. A soft voice floated into the room that made his heart clench, it was his mother's.

"Gohan breakfast is almost ready." Chichi called out. Gohan's eyes widened in recognition and hope at that voice. "Gohan?." He heard again in a questioning tone only she could ever pull off. He moved his mouth as if to speak for a few seconds before any sound came out.

"I'll be right there, Mom." he hoarsely called back with last word coming out in choke. He then turned back to the mirror still not expecting the sight he was given. 'What is this?' he asked himself. He remembered what his father told him of other world and it was nothing like this. There was no line, no giant red guy at a huge ass desk. No, this was not the otherworld. It certainly wasn't his life flashing before his eyes, it was too real. He could move and speak on his own accord. This was something else.

Gohan slid open the door the mirror hung on, no longer able to look at the reflection and looked into the closet to find a hideous assortment of clothing his mother had bought him, and the sayain armor he had gotten on Namek. His stomach rumbled all of the sudden making him jump in shock. Wherever he was or whenever he was it seemed like his stomach would still rule him. Looking down at his appearance he realized he would need to get decent if he wanted to leave the room, which he still wasn't sure if he wanted to yet. He took a breath and looked at what he was offered. The only thing that didn't make him cringe was the gis, but knowing his mom she would not take that well. He shook his head at how easy it was to fall into the situation. He cast a look to the side of the closet and caught sight of a pair of jeans and a red short sleeve shirt. He quickly threw the clothes on and exited the room slowly still unsure of what he would find.

He turned to find a short hallway that he was almost hoping not to see but instead to find himself on that long winding road among the clouds. Instead he was shown walls with portraits of his family when he was younger. Forcing himself to look away he continued his trek to where the voice of his mother had come from. When Gohan reached the end of the hallway that led into the kitchen he froze. There she was placing breakfast on the table like nothing was wrong, humming quietly to herself with a smile on her face.

"Mom?" he croaked out, his eyes watering at the mere sight of her. She glanced up at him as she was putting another dish on the table her eyes finding his eyes. His mind flashed back to the last time he had seen those eyes.

 _Flashback_

 _An 11 year old Gohan landed outside his house and started in. Hungry and exhausted from his day training with Vegeta._

 _"Mom, I'm home!" he called out in the house. He got no response. "Mom!" he yelled as he went into the kitchen, and then into the living room. He stopped dead at what he saw, his mother lying beaten and bloodied on the floor. Gohan rushed towards her and checked for a pulse, he didn't find one. Tears rolled down his cheek as he started to cry, he looked into her eyes hoping to find the warmth and love he always did when he came home but instead just saw cold, lifeless eyes staring back at him._

 _"She was a lot of fun." A cold and emotionless voice said. Gohan whipped around and looked into the eyes of Android 17. "Although not as fun as the store clerk last week in Orange City." 17 continued on not paying any attention to the boy. "What do you think dear sister?" he asked the blonde coming around the corner._

 _Gohan was livid, his eyes red in fury. He attacked the machine with an anger he had never felt, but before he could reach the smirking Android he was kicked hard in the side and sent flying through the house and into the woods. He tore out of there making a beeline towards his assailant. Android 18 laughed as he approached and when he threw his fist at her she mearly sidestepped it and put a ki blast to his face and sent him sailing to her brother. 17 caught the back of the Gohan's head and put him face first into the ground. He then grabbed Gohan by his hair and swung him through a wall and out of the house and rolling on the ground. The Androids slowly approached the beaten boy and stood above him, staring at him._

 _"It's a little cold out here brother," Android 18 started, "shall we start a fire?" she looked at 17 when she finished talking giving him a small smirk._

 _"Sounds like a great idea sis." He replied grinning like a mad man, and with that they turned around held their hands up and started sending dozens of ki blasts at the ruined house._

 _Gohan let out a weak cry as the house exploded and started to burn. He let his tears run freely as he saw his childhood home burn to a crisp with his mother's body inside. He looked up at the Androids as they laughed maniachlly before he saw a figure in blue and white armor come out of nowhere and give a hard punch and kick to the both of them. Smiling he looked up at Vegeta andblacked out._

"Gohan?" Chichi asked tentatively as crouched down in front of him and wiped the falling tears of the memory from his eyes. Gohan gave out a strangled cry before launching himself into his mother's arms and started to sob. Surprised Chichi embraced her son, she soothingly told him everything was alright and that she was here for him. They stayed like that for ten minutes as Gohan sobbed into her chest until he was out of tears.

Gohan backed out of Chichi's arms slowly before he finally said something, "I love you mom." Chichi gave him a small smile and cupped his face before she pulled him into another hug.

"I love you to sweetie." She responded before letting him out of the hug and put her hands to on his cheeks. Chichi looked at him long and hard until she softly asked him what made him cry like that.

Gohan shook his head and put his hands on top of hers before he replied, "It doesn't matter." With that he gave her a big smile and lowered her hands form his face. Seeing the look in his eyes Chichi knew not to press the subject and stood up to finish setting the table.

It was then Gohan realized that his father was nowhere around, he couldn't even sense him. Then again his powers seemed noticeably weaker now so he could just be out of range. But after looking towards the table the amount of food on it suggests otherwise. 'Must be before he came back from space.' He thought. He then heard his stomach growling reminding him he was hungry. Chichi laughed before motioning her son over to the table and sat down with him to eat. Once he got settled in and started to eat she realized what he was wearing.

"Gohan, why are you not properly dressed?" Chichi asked. Gohan gave her a funny look at that with a pancake stuffed in his mouth. As far as he was concerned what he had on was proper. Not like you went and did all that much with Androids flying all over the place. Of course he wasn't in his time anymore he had come to fully accept but even so those clothes were horrible.

"I don't really like those clothes anymore." He told her. Chichi gave him a once over before she sighed and accepted what he said. Gohan was surprised at how quickly she gave up before he continued with his breakfast. He was also surprised at how easily he got back into the swing of things with her after what had just happened. After he bawled his eyes out at seeing her alive, and that was when it hit him. He knew what was going to happen, he knew that the Androids were going to attack and he had at least a few years before they did to train up as hard as he could. Maybe he could even remember the formula to the heart virus to save his dad so that they could have a real fighting chance. He could change everything for the better. He could save those he loves, save her. His head shot up as that last thought crossed his mind. Her! She was alive! With everything he had he was going to keep it that way too.

After Gohan had finished eating Chichi told him to go do his studies and once again he froze. He had forgotten what a slave driver his mother was when it came to his studies. He had forgotten all about her dream about him being a scholar or some such nonsense. That's not what he needed to be doing, he needed to train so he could fight the Androids when they arrived. Training was much more important than his studies at this moment. But she would never allow that, she barely let him train with Vegeta when all of their friends were being killed. A compromise would be his only safe bet.

"Mom, if I study really hard this morning can I train in the afternoon?" Gohan asked his mother. Chichi stared at Gohan like he had lost his mind. He noticed this and gave the best pleading face he could.

"Alright." She told him

Gohan smiled as he turned around. Due to him being older than six he already knew everything. Well at least he hoped he remembered everything. Gohan went back to his room and started studying. He was done by the time lunchtime came. He sighed as he closed the last book thinking that all this would have taken him all day. Once he had gotten started it all came back to him, like riding a bike. It was nice being old, or at least older in the mind. He decided to sit for a while since lunch would be done soon and it would be stupid to go outside now. He leaned back in his chair and let his mind go blank and reached out with his senses. While he did this he felt some old familiar ki signatures' heading for same spot; but it was the signature up in the sky that caught his attention. His head snapped up when he realized who it was. 'Shit' he thought. 'This is the day Frieza attacks!'

Gohan rushed to his closet and pulled on the purple gi along with the Namekian shoes. He smiled when he remembered who else came back to earth this day as well. 'I'll have to work with the others to stall him until dad lands' he thought. Being as quiet as he could be he lifted the window above his bed and flew out to meet up with the others.

"Gohan, time for lunch." Chichi called out.


	2. Reunions

Reunions

 **Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. This past semester was a bit more intense than I was expecting. I'm done with school now though so I can devote some more time to writing what I actually want to write about. Thank you to those who left reviews last time, I really appreciate them. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. And out of curiosity what does everyone think of the new God mode? I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.**

"Damn hair!" Gohan exclaimed. It had been a long time since he'd had hair this long and was starting to remember what was detrimental about it. Not to mention his old gi was a little tight on him. Maybe he should have gone for that sayain armor but he never did like that kind. He was going to have to make a change in his wardrobe. His hair whipped into his eye again making him grit his teeth in frustration. And definitely get a haircut.

He felt out with his senses again to make sure he was heading the right way, the power signature was getting closer and closer to earth. Masking that of his father's these signatures were too many to pick out that one small ki being suppressed. What threw him for a loop were the signatures he felt next. They were already on earth not far from where he thought Frieza would land. Gohan focused a little harder to pin point their location so he could keep them out of the fray. What he sensed though froze him in place. It was Vegeta and Bulma and all of the others who had been lost to the fight with the androids. Gohan fell from the sky landing on the ground and buckling to his knees. Of course, he was in the past now. How could he have forgotten about them. He knew though, when she had died he barely let himself remember any of them. They could be saved too, and he would save them.

Gohan looked up out of his reverie with a determined look on his face. He started to float in the air coming off his knees and braced himself for what he was about to go through. He couldn't let his emotions rule like they had this morning with his mom. He would have to act like a Gohan who had just seen all of them. He flew on to their position steeling himself moment after moment for the emotional shock that was sure to come.

"Gohan over here!" a voice rang out into the air. Gohan stopped and closed his eyes hardening his heart once again for what he had to do. Looking towards where the voice came from he saw Krillin waving his arm at him. Gohan flew down to him and greeted him as normal as he could. He looked over Krillin's shoulder towards the others and took in the sight of Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Bulma, Piccolo, and Vegeta. Gohan stared dumbfounded at Vegeta, he was wearing a pink shirt. Gohan suddenly busted out laughing, he fell to the ground in stitches and wouldn't let up. Everyone stared at him in bewilderment and wondered what had gotten to the kid.

"What are you laughing at Kakabrat?" Vegeta scowled. Through his fits of laughter Gohan managed to get out the words "pink" and "shirt" and other words the others couldn't make out. Vegeta though understood immediately and looked ready to tear the boy apart but was interceded by Piccolo.

"Not now Vegeta." He said and gave a look to Gohan to stop. Gohan waved him off but slowly let his laughter die down. "We have more important things to worry about." He said this time speaking to both of them. Vegeta sat back down on the rock he had been on mumbling something about getting the kid later. Piccolo looked back towards Gohan who was now standing up with a more appropriate look on his face. Inside though Gohan was still laughing like a crazy person over the sight of Vegeta in a pink shirt.

"You're right Piccolo." Gohan told him and looked up into the sky. He had wasted time with his outburst and now he needed to get to work. "We have a fight coming our way and we need to be prepared." The seriousness in the way he spoke had everyone looking at him again, but this time the looks were all different. They ranged from resigned agreement and skepticism to annoyance. "We need to-"

"Wait a minute," Bulma interrupted, "how do we know it's a threat?" Yamcha nodded in agreement to her question. Some of the others looked at her like she was stupid but she just glared back at them. Gohan closed his eyes and tilted his head back for effect before he thought about answering her. He hoped one of the others would answer for him so he wouldn't have to try to explain it all. Luckily Krillin gave an apt answer. "When is it not for us?" he told her. She gave him a look of annoyance before she continued on. "Maybe for once things will be different." She replied. Gohan looked back at her knowing she would find out in only moments.

"It's Frieza, I would know that ki signature anywhere." Vegeta spoke out. Bulma sighed in resignation. Gohan listened on as Piccolo gave the plan of attack but his senses were somewhere else. When he had looked for Frieza's energy signature he discovered another, one he didn't expect to sense. He cast his eyes over to Bulma and examined her. 'No, she's not carrying properly and it's too soon.' He cast his senses further and found him. His eyes went wide once he got a hold on it. The signature was definitely his but felt older, and stronger. He started to sense the power level of everyone here and the newcomer was much stronger than any of the others. Gohan smiled, it looks like they won't have to stall for his dad.

'Hold on a second, how could he be here?' Gohan thought. 'Well this is pretty damn confusing.' He was older, stronger but how? His mind raced with the possibilities. Then it jumped out at him. 'Bulma!' she had been working on a way to time travel. He never gave it much thought because he thought it was outlandish, but maybe she had done it. Well seeing as there was an older Trunks heading this way she probably had.

"Gohan pay attention." Piccolo growled out. Gohan gave him a curt nod that he was and continued to monitor the travel of the various ki's. It looked like Frieza would get here first. "The mountains will mask our attack at first so we'll go in teams so as not to give away our numbers at first." Piccolo continued on. Solid enough plan Gohan thought, if the others popped out at different spots to keep Frieza's minions guessing.

Gohan looked up in time to see Frieza's ship break through the clouds He motioned to the others who once seeing the ship took on a grim expression. "Get ready guys." He told the group. Of course he knew that none of them would need to get ready, Trunks would arrive soon enough. The ship landed and the occupants of it slowly trickled out. Once again Gohan looked upon the cybernetic form of Frieza. He remembered almost being killed by him last time before his dad showed up. Luckily that wouldn't happen this time. He felt Trunks getting closer and the power behind him was impressive, even when he suppressed it. "Before we move in we need to get a feel for them." He relayed to the others. Vegeta grunted some insult but he didn't care too much.

He watched Frieza and his forces congregate and saw as Trunks landed in front of them. He heard Krillin saying something about the new guy but once again didn't pay attention. He wanted to see how far his pupil had come along. Or would that be former pupil? This was all so confusing. Trunks was now older than him and in the past; he was now in his younger body and had all his memories, how fucked up was this. He watched as Trunks took out all of Frieza's force with that cool new sword of his. 'Maybe I should get a sword again.' Gohan shook his head at that thought, he enjoyed the hand to hand a bit more.

Gohan eyes went wide with what happened next, Trunks went Super Sayain. Well that was new as well. He watched as Trunks made quick work of Frieza, cutting the white bastard in half. The fight with King Cold was a bit more interesting but he died just as well. Gohan looked at Trunks quite impressed. His pupil turned out quite well.

"Well I for one want to go over and thank this cutie." He heard Bulma say and nearly lost his breakfast at the last thing she said. That was not something a mother should say about her son, even if she didn't know. "Hey cutie!" she called out and Trunks turned to see them all approach. Gohan had to give him credit, he didn't even flinch at the flirtatious comment from his own mother.

"Hi." Gohan heard Trunks say to everyone. Gohan was about to give him his own greeting when Vegeta beat him to the punch, just not as nice.

"How the hell can you become a super sayain?" he asked Trunks grabbing at his shirt. Gohan shook his head at Vegeta's abruptness. "You have to be a sayain to do that and the only ones left are me, Kakarot, and his brat over there." Trunks turned his head over to Gohan at this. Gohan gave him a little wave to mess with him a little bit.

"Maybe you're not as alone as you thought." Trunks replied turning back to look at Vegeta. "Anyways, we have something more important to deal with." This time Trunks looked at all of them when he said this while removing Vegeta's hand from him. "And if we're going to deal with it we need to move locations." He continued. Gohan analyzed Trunks trying to figure out his play.

"What exactly are we going to be dealing with?" Krillin asked him. "Nothing dangerous, I just thought you may want to be around for Goku's return." Trunks replied to Krillin. All around them the others gasped. "Goku's coming back?!" Krillin asked him. "Yes he is." Trunks said and then started to walk off.

"How do you know he's coming back?" Piccolo asked him. Gohan was curious about that as well but then realized that Bulma probably would have told him. He followed after Trunks hoping that Trunks was here to give his father the cure to the heart virus. Oh and tell him about the Androids. Gohan grew solemn at that. He was letting the hormones of his younger body take a hold of him. He needed to calm down and act the age he is. Well the age he used to be.

"Lets just say that I have it on good authority." Trunks replied. It was going to be increasingly difficult for Trunks to keep everything as secret as he was trying to. Gohan knew Piccolo wasn't going to let this go, he would just wait for the opportune moment. "We just have to wait a little while, if you don't believe me you can leave." At that Trunks took off to his destination. Gohan was the first to follow and the others weren't long after.

Trunks landed in an open spot not too far away from where they had been. Gohan landed beside him and gave him a nod. He walked off a little bit and sat down. He needed to think. Trunks was here and was obviously here to make the future a little brighter. His dad would definitely make fighting the Androids easier. Since they would have warning about the Androids training would have an easier alibi with his mom. Things were going to become much more interesting as time went on. Looking around at the others he knew they would all train hard for the new threat. He would too, he was going to make sure they lived to see seventy if he could help it.

Soon enough an hour had gone by. Trunks had brought a fridge with him with drinks and had passed them out to all who wanted one. Gohan had taken one generously, he had missed lunch after all. He tried to carry on as much of a conversation as he could with Trunks, learn what he could. Trunks remained as tight lipped as possible. Gohan was surprised at that, the Trunks he knew was always so forthcoming. He moved on from Trunks to his friends trying to gage where they all were in their lives as he couldn't remember. Krillin's relationships were a surprising rediscovery, Yamcha and Bulma on the outs again wasn't too shocking, and the others weren't all that talkative either. Gohan was starting to become bored when he sensed his father coming into the atmosphere.

The sayain pod fell out the sky and landed a few dozen feet away and created a crater in the ground. They all surrounded the edge of the crater and waited with bated breath for the pod to open. When it finally did everyone let out a sigh of relief, save for Vegeta who looked like he always did. Goku climbed out and saw everyone standing there.

"Well hey there guys." Goku said.


End file.
